Josh Turner remembers hearing stories about his dad’s family gathering around the radio on Saturday nights to listen to the “Grand Ole Opry.” His dad told him it was his family’s entertainment for the week.

Click for a photo gallery from the Grand Ole Opry House dedication in 1974 (photo: Frank Empson/The Tennessean)

“In some ways it’s weird to go out and play the 40th anniversary of a building,” Turner said. “But I think there’s some symbolism to that. I think about just all of the stars and personalities that have set foot on that stage and entertained crowds. We’ve had presidents and dignitaries and every country music star you can imagine, even stars from other genres, come out there and play shows. It’s been pretty incredible to see.”

In addition to Turner, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Diamond Rio and Clint Black will play the sold-out “Opry” shows tonight.

“I wouldn’t miss being here to help celebrate the Opry’s 40th,” said Shelton, a coach on NBC’s talent competition “The Voice.” “To me, the Grand Ole Opry is an artist, and I get to be one of its songs that night.”

The past week brought two celebrations: Stanley celebrated his 87th birthday on Tuesday and followed it with three nights of shows in Nashville including Friday and Saturday nights at the Opry. And Saturday night, the Opry celebrated McReynolds' 50th anniversary of becoming an Opry member.

Click on the photo above to see a gallery of some of the performers on Saturday night's Opry, which also included Lorrie Morgan.

Kingsley, a mainstay on country radio for the last 40 years, arrived thinking that he was introducing a video for an event. He didn’t know the evening was in honor of his Kingsley’s 40 years on country radio – time he spent as the voice of "American Country Countdown" and host and executive producer of "Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40."

“I think he’s the Johnny Carson of ‘The Tonight Show,’ the Jay Leno of ‘The Tonight Show,’ he’s Bob Kingsley of ‘American Country Countdown,’” said Garth Brooks before he took the stage with wife and fellow country star Trisha Yearwood to honor Kingsley. “He’s where you always want to hear your music. And then once you go on his show, he makes everybody feel like somebody. But he’s not two-faced. He’s not putting it on. This is truly how he is – a sincere, sweet man that loves the music and I think more than that even, he loves the artists that do it.”

Bob Kingsley enjoys the tribute in his honor for his 40 years on country radio – time he spent as the voice of America’s Country Countdown. (Photo: Larry McCormack/The Tennessean)

“It’s epic,” Young said, before performing his new single “Who I Am With You.” “It’s life-changing. It’s something I looked forward to for a long, long time and I’ve been lucky enough to hear you talking about (my songs) going up. It’s not nearly as fun hearing you talk about it as it’s going back down.”

For Eli Young Band, hearing its name on his show was meaningful – but something else Kingsley said stuck with band members even more.

“Hearing you say you were proud of us was like getting your dad’s approval,” said singer Mike Eli. “We hope all of your dreams come true.”

“Is now an appropriate time to announce my retirement?” Cyrus joked on Thursday in an interview with The Tennessean. “Tell all my friends on Music Row I’m bowing out. I’ve got No. 76 and a No. 1 on the YouTube chart so I’m going to go to Thompson’s Station and cut hay. What I really want to be is a songwriter.”

Steve Buchanan, SVP Media/Entertainment for Gaylord Entertainment, crafted and sold the idea for the ABC drama “Nashville.” Music City USA. (photo: George Walker IV/The Tennessean)

Steve Buchanan would prefer that people pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. It’s easier to work his magic and share the credit out of the limelight.

Over the past 28 years with the parent company of the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium, the president of Opry Entertainment Group has resurrected the Ryman into a beloved performance space. Buchanan used his rebranding and rebuilding skills to lead the Grand Ole Opry into a popular rebirth. And, he applied his bird’s-eye view of Nashville’s music community in the development of ABC’s “Nashville,” a scripted prime-time drama that depicts country music’s inner workings.

“He’s who I call when I feel like people are going a little bit outside of what I think would happen in Nashville,” said “Nashville” creator Callie Khouri. “We run a reality check. We know that we’re making a TV show, but we try to keep things as close to reality as we can and still be doing network television.”

On a mid-December day, Buchanan was hard at work on set on the Ryman stage. Blue-tinted lights beamed down on Buchanan as he and country star Brad Paisley talked privately just out of the spotlight.

Buchanan is relaxed in the hubbub, finishing his conversation with Paisley and asking about the next time he will be needed on set. Buchanan himself was set to appear in the episode, which features the induction of Hayden Panettiere’s character, Juliette Barnes, into the Grand Ole Opry.

From Kornfield Kounty to The Big Apple — “Hee Haw” is going to Broadway.

Eventually.

The popular television program that showcased country music, comedic skits and featured overalls as the height of fashion is the basis for the musical, which is in its early stages. “Hee Haw the Musical” is a re-imagined version of the franchise, which ran from 1969 through 1997, and is expected to include a new generation of the straw-chewing characters while paying homage to beloved, iconic ones.

“We are very excited about bringing this new incarnation of ‘Hee Haw’ to the stage,” said Steve Buchanan, president of the Opry Entertainment Group and executive producer for the ABC series “Nashville.” Buchanan and Sally Williams, Opry Entertainment Group vice president of development, are the musical’s producers.

Real-life country star Brad Paisley made a return trip to ABC's "Nashville" tonight to help induct one of the primetime drama's lead characters, Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) into the Grand Ole Opry. The show's ceremony took place at the Ryman Auditorium, which is still the part-time home of the Opry in the winter months.

A few more real Nashville notables were watching in the wings during Juliette's big speech: Opry Entertainment president Steve Buchanan (who's also one of "Nashville's" executive producers) and Grand Ole Opry GM Pete Fisher. There was also a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo by country singer Lee Brice ("I Drive Your Truck").

'Nashville' songs

ABC is offering a free download of "Black Roses" - the piano-driven song Scarlett (Clare Bowen) was recording with Liam in the final minutes of the show. Click here to download the song.

Another tune, Juliette's "Don't Put Dirt On My Grave Just Yet", is available for purchase on iTunes. The song's co-writers, Trent Dabbs and Caitlyn Smith, wrote it via Skype: Dabbs was in Nashville, Smith in Minnesota. Watch them tell the story behind the song in this week's "On The Record" video: